And as they landed on the
stone flagging outside they heard Mr. Drummond excitedly directing the
pursuit.
"Quick, Wilkins! Get them! They tried to rob the house!" Mr. Drummond's
voice pursued them along the verandah. "Help! Robbers! Head them off!"
The boys took the stone steps in two bounds, crashed at the bottom into
a hedge, went tearing through and emerged beyond in a service yard,
dimly lighted by one struggling electric bulb over a back doorway. It
was Ossie who fell into the clothes basket and Wink who collided with
the clothes reel and sent it spinning wildly and creakingly around in
the darkness. Perry fortunately avoided all pitfalls and was leading by
six yards when he reached the top of another flight of steps and saw the
marquee and the dancing platform and the gay lights at his right. To
make their way in that direction would be sheer folly, while in front of
them lay a tangle of shrubbery and trees. Into this they hurtled, as
from behind them came cries of "Stop, thief!" and the crunching of many
footsteps.
Off went Wink's hat as he fled after the scurrying Perry. Ossie went
down in a tangle of briars and prickly things with a grunt, rolled
somehow clear and was off again. "This way!" shouted a voice.
Pages:
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186
187
188
189
190
191
192
193
194
195
196
197
198